Radiator cap



H' J' MESCHER Filed Nov. 12, 1926 A TTU-HNF V Patented July 17, 1928.

' Heaters'.r mennen, v 51# Damon, onto.

.RADIATOR-csr.

Applicationfiled-November 12',v 1326.- Seria1-N"o.l147,897.

This inventionrelates toautomobile capsy and more particularlyto thattype of cap the body portion ofwliich comprises two'parts rotatablyconnectedone to the other, one of .5 said parts being adapted to bescrewedonto the'filling tube of a radiator and the other forming asupport forA theplid or closure.4 One' object' of the Vinvention. istoprovide and which will firinly'lhold the lid inits.

l closed position.

Other objects off-thel invention will appear.

as the device is described inY detail.

. In .the accompanying drawingsFig. 11s a frontv elevation of a radiatorcap vembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the-same; Fig;A 3jis ai section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a .sectiontaken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line 5 5 of r Fig. 4. f y

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention andhave shown the same as comprising a body portion con-` sisting of atubular member 1 and a collar 2. The tubular member 1 has on its lowerportion threads 3 by means of which it may be attached to the fillingtube of an automobile radiator. Near its upper end this tubular memberhas formed on the exterior thereof an upwardly facing circumferentialshoulder 4 which is spaced a relatively short distance from the upperend of the tubular member. Formed in the upper surface of this shoulderis an inclined recess 5. The collar 2 is arranged about the upper. endportion of the tubular member and has a forwardly extendingcircumferential rib 6 the lower surface of which rests upon the shoulder4 and rotatably .supports the collar on the tubular member. 'Ihis ribhas a vertical opening 7 extending through the same and a pawl 8 isloosely supported in this opening and is so arranged that when thecollar is rotated on the tubular member to bring the opening 7 into linewith the recess 5 the pawl will drop into the recess and so connect thetwo members that the rotation of the collar in one direction will causethe tubular member to rotate therewith, thus enabling the latter to bescrewed onto the filling tube. Vhen the collar is rotated in theoppositel direction the pawl will ride out of the recess, therebypermitting the'collar to rotate with relation to the" ytubular memberand preventing the latter from .being removed from the filling tube. Inorderl to retain, lthe collar in position onthe tubular memberIhavemounted ,with-y in thefupperportionY thereof la sleeve 9 having.at'fits upper endafiiange 10 which( extends outwardly over the upper endof the tubular member and over the upper edge of the rib 6 of thecollar, and thus cooperates with the `shoulder 4 to form acircumferential groove in which therib lrotates and which retains thecollar in itsproper position oir vso the tubular member. The lowerportion of the sleeve4 Sis' expanded,'by` spinning, swagingor the like,to :press the sameinto grippingscont'actwitlrthe inner surface of thetubular member, tlietubular member being preferably v,provided with afdownwardly l facing' circumferential" lshoulder 11 on the inner surfacethereof beneath which the lower portion of the sleeve engages when it isexpanded, thus firmly `securing the leevein position within the tubularmem- The'collar2 has at one side thereof a pair of pivot lugs 12arranged to receive between them a pivot lug 13 carried by a lid orclosure 14, the pivot lugs being connected one to the other by a pivotpin 15. A gasket 16 is preferably yarranged `within the upper portion ofthecollar, which extendsl above the tubular member, to pro- .vide atight joint between the closure and the body portion of the cap. Inorder to hold the closure tightly in its closed position I have provideda latch which comprises a body portion or member 17 pivotally mountedbetween lugs 18 ony that side of the closure opposite the lug 13. Thispivoted member has a vertical bore or guideway 19 in which is s-lidablymounted a plunger 20, the upper end of which extends` above the pivotedmember and is provided` with ahead 21. The lower portion of the plungeris of reduced diameter, extends through the lower portion of theguideway and has secured thereto a locking member 22 having a hookshaped end adapted to engage beneath a correspondingly shaped projection23 carried by the collar. vA spring 26 acts on the plunger 20 to movethe same upwardly and hold the locking member in contact with theprojection or keeper 23. Secured to the pivoted member 17 and, ifdesired, formed integral therewith, is a face plate 24 which extendsbelow the guideway and has itsvinner surface arranged to contact withthe outer end of the locking member 22 to guide this member and hold thesame against rotation. This face plate also extends laterally beyond thesides of the pivoted member 17 and conceals all parts ci the latch withthe exception of the headed upper end 21 of the plunger. To release thelatch the plunger 2O is depressed and the lower portion of the latchswung outward, this being easily accomplished with one hand by engagingthe head of the plunger with the thumb and grasping the lower portion ofthe plate 24 with the finger. If desired, the lower portion of theplate-may be provided with a finger piece 25.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wishit to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the detailsthereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in theart.

I-Iaving now fully described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a radiator cap, a tubular member having a circumferentialshoulder, a co1 lar having a part engaging said shoulder VVto supportsaid collar thereon, and a sleeve having an exterior upwardly facingcii'cum ferential shoulder and an interior down wardly facing shoulder',aV collar extending` about said tubular member andl having an inwardlyextending 'rib engaging said exterior shoulder, the upper edge of saidrib 'being adjacentto the upper `end of said tubular member, and asleeve arranged within said tubular member, having at its upper end aange which extends across the upper end of said tubular'member and theupper edge of said rib, and having its lower portion expanded intolocking Vengagement l with said interior shoulder.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature hereto.

HENRY J. MESCHER.

